CATEGORY 24 AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST EVENTS NLP-adapted communication, and sensory tools like weighted blankets, heated neck packs, and noise-cancelling headphones. They collaborate with occupational therapists and psychologists, and use vagus nerve stimulators, ear seeds based on Traditional Chinese Medicine, and a “comfort menu” inspired by integrative oncology. Their environment is designed using neuroscience principles to actively reduce anxiety during procedures. Another practice takes a different but equally effective approach: a “pause button” policy, plain-language explanations, and a pre-booking anxiety screen that’s helped over 90% of previously avoidant patients now attend regularly. Both models are rooted in empathy – but backed by systems that make compassion actionable. Websites that build trust before the first visit In Website of the Year, one entry achieved a perfect Google PageSpeed score of 100, used bespoke photography, and treated its site as a “therapeutic touchpoint.” Its chatbot and emotionally intelligent design philosophy reflected a deep understanding that digital presence begins the patient journey. Another focused on regional needs: a menu that starts with “I’m in pain” or “I’m nervous,” live chat with a callback option, and comprehensive FAQs that address affordability and anxiety head-on. Both prove that a website can be in equal parts functional and kind. Shared values, quiet alignment The Awards, an initiative of Australasian Dentist chaired by Dr Neil Meredith, are supported by sponsors whose work mirrors the values seen in the entries. Cattani, carbon neutral in Australia since 2022, backs the Sustainability category through SMART Suction tech and amalgam retention systems. NSK’s “Going Green” campaign has refurbished and donated over 1,500 handpieces to Pacific nations. Curasept focuses on patient outcomes over sales, developing products around compliance and clinical results. Henry Schein One’s Dentally platform reduces admin so clinicians can focus on care. Inno Dent provides TGAapproved training for full-arch solutions and clear aligners. Straumann invests in education and collaboration, knowing innovation means nothing without shared knowledge. Their influence rarely appeared as brand names in entries. It showed up in the tools chosen, the workflows adopted, the standards quietly upheld. The weight of recognition What stayed with me wasn’t who might win, but how many entries reminded me why dentistry matters. It’s about making someone feel safe enough to open their mouth. About installing solar panels not for a plaque on the wall, but because the planet matters as much as the patient. About building a website that calms, or a compost bin that turns waste into soil. Judging became less about ranking and more about witnessing. And that made the hardest part – not the decision, but the realisation that so much good work is happening quietly, without expectation of reward. To be asked to notice it, even briefly, felt like a privilege. X Australia’s dental community is preparing for one of the most anticipated professional education events of 2026, as Dr Pascal Magne returns to Australia for a two-day lecture presented by Quintessence Publishing Australia & New Zealand. The event, to be held on 10–11 April 2026 at the Hilton Hotel Sydney, will bring together restorative dentists and dental technicians from across the Asia-Pacific region. Recognised internationally as a pioneer in biomimetic and adhesive dentistry, Dr Magne has transformed restorative practice through his commitment to tooth preservation, Pascal Magne to headline exclusive Sydney event in 2026 aesthetics, and evidence-based innovation. Renowned for merging scientific rigour with artistic precision, Dr Magne’s teaching bridges the gap between biology, materials science, and design. The Sydney program will explore biomimicry, conservative aesthetics, and the integration of digital and analogue workflows – principles that define modern restorative excellence. Event organiser, Quintessence Publishing Australia & New Zealand, described the lecture as “a rare opportunity for clinicians to engage and be present with one of dentistry’s most influential educators.” With demand exceeding expectations, organisers have confirmed that only a limited number of tickets remain. For many practitioners, this will be a landmark occasion to learn from a global authority whose work continues to inspire and shape the future of restorative dentistry. X Book Now: www.quintessence-publishing. com/anz/en/event/pascal-magnesydney-2026
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